1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph. The play itself is a one-woman show where the playwright starts off in Dave’s Pharmacy in 1966 where we are immediately introduced to the 13-year-old narrator who is known as Brenda Jean (aka the playwright), Auntie Mary, Brenda’s mom and dad, Big Mike, and her boyfriend Kali, and her brothers and sisters. The setting she alludes to is a neighborhood in Los Angeles on the westside where Kali’s mother was the “queen of the westside.” 2. What is the intrusion? The intrusion that keeps the play going is the relationship between Kali and Brenda. The minute she interacts with him is the minute he instantly becomes a huge part of her life and we see that journey evolve and dissolve throughout the play. 3. What is the unique factor? The unique factor is that this is a one-woman act where a woman is interpreting many characters that the playwright is already familiar with since they were actual people in her childhood. She’s playing boys, girls, old women, her family, her teacher, etc. 4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play? The dramatic question that should be answered by the end is what is the connection between all the stories Brenda tells? Why did she choose these particular moments in her life? What is the message she wants her audience to leave with? 5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it. The one type of exposition is the one that every character doesn’t know about is her relationship to life and her adolescent years. No one except for the audience knows of how she feels during the cycle of the play. And the other exposition that all the characters know is Brenda’s and Kali’s relationship for that everyone it is no secret that they had an intimate relationship. 6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be. I would say when Kali kisses Brenda for the first time in Mary’s rose garden. We see in the play the evolution of her relationship from the beginning of when they first met to now where they first kiss. To me I am a sucker for romance so when I see a romantic gesture, I count it as a theatrical moment. Also, in general a girl’s first kiss will also be the highlight ( or at least significant ) part of a girl’s childhood. 7. List some of the themes of the play. Never forget who you came from for that sticks with you for the rest of your life. You are beautiful just the way you are, you do not need to change one bit of yourself. Your first heartbreak is the hardest the heal from. 8. What does the narrator want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants? She is an ambitious young woman who wants a new change of atmosphere by going to college and leaving the Westside. Her main obstacle is her boyfriend because he wants to marry her and basically have a live with her that Brenda doesn’t want. She is also is torn between leaving everything she has ever known and her heritage to start fresh and create a brand new identity for herself. 9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play. Mary’s rose garden introduced at the beginning of the play directly alludes to the title “Queen’s Garden” for Mary is the queen of the westside. We can think of the garden from the title being in relation to the Los Angeles environment Brenda alludes to as it is centered on the westside of Los Angeles. 10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play. Families in this case are quite contemporary and nothing totally unusual compared to past plays we have studied. We see mothers and fathers with kids that live in the same house who love and work hard to keep the unit together. We are introduced to friends whose family are similar in the sense that they love and also work hard to keep the family together.
The play itself is a one-woman show where the playwright starts off in Dave’s Pharmacy in 1966 where we are immediately introduced to the 13-year-old narrator who is known as Brenda Jean (aka the playwright), Auntie Mary, Brenda’s mom and dad, Big Mike, and her boyfriend Kali, and her brothers and sisters. The setting she alludes to is a neighborhood in Los Angeles on the westside where Kali’s mother was the “queen of the westside.”
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion that keeps the play going is the relationship between Kali and Brenda. The minute she interacts with him is the minute he instantly becomes a huge part of her life and we see that journey evolve and dissolve throughout the play.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor is that this is a one-woman act where a woman is interpreting many characters that the playwright is already familiar with since they were actual people in her childhood. She’s playing boys, girls, old women, her family, her teacher, etc.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
The dramatic question that should be answered by the end is what is the connection between all the stories Brenda tells? Why did she choose these particular moments in her life? What is the message she wants her audience to leave with?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The one type of exposition is the one that every character doesn’t know about is her relationship to life and her adolescent years. No one except for the audience knows of how she feels during the cycle of the play. And the other exposition that all the characters know is Brenda’s and Kali’s relationship for that everyone it is no secret that they had an intimate relationship.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
I would say when Kali kisses Brenda for the first time in Mary’s rose garden. We see in the play the evolution of her relationship from the beginning of when they first met to now where they first kiss. To me I am a sucker for romance so when I see a romantic gesture, I count it as a theatrical moment. Also, in general a girl’s first kiss will also be the highlight ( or at least significant ) part of a girl’s childhood.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Never forget who you came from for that sticks with you for the rest of your life. You are beautiful just the way you are, you do not need to change one bit of yourself. Your first heartbreak is the hardest the heal from.
8. What does the narrator want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
She is an ambitious young woman who wants a new change of atmosphere by going to college and leaving the Westside. Her main obstacle is her boyfriend because he wants to marry her and basically have a live with her that Brenda doesn’t want. She is also is torn between leaving everything she has ever known and her heritage to start fresh and create a brand new identity for herself.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
Mary’s rose garden introduced at the beginning of the play directly alludes to the title “Queen’s Garden” for Mary is the queen of the westside. We can think of the garden from the title being in relation to the Los Angeles environment Brenda alludes to as it is centered on the westside of Los Angeles.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play. Families in this case are quite contemporary and nothing totally unusual compared to past plays we have studied. We see mothers and fathers with kids that live in the same house who love and work hard to keep the unit together. We are introduced to friends whose family are similar in the sense that they love and also work hard to keep the family together.